By Li Hongmei

China currently operates 105 satellites in space and will need to launch just six more to surpass the number of Russian satellites in orbit, according to the China Space News, an outlet run by the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation.

After the launch of the Dong Fang Hong- I, China's first satellite in 1970, Beijing has sent a total of 232 satellites into space, conducting 19 launches last year to put an additional 28 satellites into orbit.

China will soon have 109 satellites in operation, with plans to launch another four in the near future, which will bring the country within reach of Russia's 110 satellites, the report said, adding that the rate has already surpassed that of the United States.

China routinely sends manned spacecraft to its Tiangong space station and with the launch of the world's first quick response satellite, China can proudly claim itself as a space power, the report said.

Between 3%-6% of the commercial satellites currently in orbit are designed and launched in China, and this proportion is likely to increase to 15% by 2020.

As China continues to promote its space exploration program, the country will be able to operate about 200 satellites by 2020, according to Xinhua. Within the next decade, China will conduct 30 launches per year, 30% of the global total, the report said.